Gravity
by Evidence Of Rain
Summary: Utau and Rima are best friends. But when one's life hangs in the balance, what will the other do to help her friend live again?
1. Chapter 1

_**Gravity**_

**Hey everyone! Welcome to Gravity. This is based on a true story that happened from 2009 to present time. I would like to dedicate this to the girl who went through this ordeal, even though she doesn't go on . Also, this fic will be completely Utau POV, so I won't be announcing any POV at the beginning of the chapters. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara. But I guess you probably already knew that.**

**Chapter 1**

_Slam!_ My friend Rima was jerked awake by our teacher, Nikaidou-sensei, slamming a heavy textbook on her desk. She looked around, bemused.

"Having a nice nap, Mashiro-san?"

Rima flushed a light pink and mumbled an apology. She had been dozing off all day. It was surprising that Nikaidou-sensei hadn't noticed her sleeping yet, because she snored lightly. I would have woken her up, but whenever I had she'd just fall asleep again.

"Smooth, Reems." I whispered to her.

She glared at me playfully.

"Shut up Utau."

The bell buzzed noisily, signaling the end of the school day. I sighed in relief and gathered up my books. I ignored Nikaidou-sensei's instructions for the homework, I would just ask Kukai about that. The boy followed me like a puppy. I waited for Rima, who was muttering insults at Nikaidou-sensei under her breath.

"Watch the tongue, Rima. Someone might shove a bar of soap in there."

She glared at me and directed her potty mouth at me. I rolled my eyes and together we strolled towards the door. I strode ahead of her because her short legs were not as fast as mine. Suddenly, I heard the sharp slap of books hitting the floor. I turned around to see who had dropped their stuff. My eyes focused on Rima, curled into a ball on the floor with her books scattered around her. She was clutching her ear with a pained expression.

"Rima? What's wrong?"

She drew her hand away from her ear. Scarlet liquid was splattered across her palm.

"What the hell?" We whispered at the same time. Then she looked up at me with a confused expression on her small face.

"Why is it so quiet in here?" She asked.

It wasn't any quieter than it had been before she fell. Actually, it was louder, because people had crowded around us, muttering and staring.

"What are you idiots looking at?" I hissed at the crowd.

Some people scurried away, embarrassed. Others just murmered louder and gave me dirty looks.

"Let's get out of here," I grabbed Rima's hand (the one that wasn't covered in blood) and pulled her through the throng of spectators.

When we were out of the building, I stopped. What the hell was going on? I leaned over and spoke very clearly into the ear that hadn't bled.

"Tell your parents to take you directly to the hospital. Don't stop at home or anything. Understand?"

She nodded to show that she understood. I let go of her wrist and she ran to her mother's car. I saw her speak quickly to her mother and before the car sped off. I went back to collect her books and shoved them into my bag. She would want them when we saw each other next. I started to make my way home, my memory stained with images of her bloodstained hand. I closed my mind and ran the way to my house.

**Dun dun dun! What's wrong with Rima? Why is she bleeding from her ear? What will go down at the hospital? I like to make up lots of questions. Sorry that it's so short, the following chapters will be longer. Review if you want to, don't be afraid of hurting my feelings. I wanna hear from you guys!**

**~Rainy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2. Thanks to Princess Utau, DK RamZ48 and The Otaku You Fools for reviewing. I know there was an anon review, but he'll know who he is. And, Otaku, this isn't going to be an Amu/Utau friendship story. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara.**

**Chapter 2**

I didn't stop running until I was on my doorstep. I fumbled with my keys and dropped them. Cursing under my breath, I stooped down to pick them up. The door opened and I looked up to see my brother Ikuto standing there. I grabbed my keys as my eyes filled with tears.

"Utau? What's wrong?"

I began to sob, unable to answer. What was wrong with Rima? What if she died? What would I do without her? I stumbled blindly past him and made my way to my room. Once inside, I fell onto my bed and began to sob into my pillow. This activity continued until my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked it. I had a text from Rima.

_Where r u right now?_

I texted back frantically, my fingers stumbling over the keys.

_Home. What's going on Rima?_

I waited impatiently for her reply. She sure takes her sweet time texting back.

_Is Ikuto there with you?_

I frowned at her question. She and Ikuto had a brotherly/sisterly love-hate now, they were on a hate phase. Why did she want to know that?

_Yeah he's here. Y?_

At that moment, Ikuto opened my bedroom door. I glared at him for not knocking and out of frustration because my questions weren't being answered. We stood there glaring at each other until my phone vibrated again.

_Get him to drive you to the doctor's office. ASAP._

I sprang up off the bed and said to Ikuto, "Get your car keys." He followed me down the stairs, bewildered. I knew I was being a bit out of character with the change in moods, but this was my best friend we were talking about. Nothing was going to stop me from getting to that office to see Rima. I realized I hadn't even taken off my shoes, which was good for me, because I didn't have to spend time getting them on again. I did have to wait for Ikuto though, because the idiot had put his keys somewhere and forgotten them. I joined him in the search. After we found them on the counter behind a load of groceries that we were supposed to put away, he speed-tied his shoes and we were out the door. We climbed into his car and he waited for directions.

"Go to the Seiyo Medical Centre. As fast as you can, please."

He gave me a confused look but started the car.

"Okay, now spill it. What's going on Utau? You're not pregnant, are you?"

I slapped his arm, hard. He winced, and I felt a stab of remorse. I was too wound up to apologize though. I glared out the window as I replied.

"No, I'm not pregnant, you idiot. Something's wrong with Rima."

When I said her name, he hissed through his teeth and applied more pressure to the gas pedal. My phone buzzed again, and I looked at it. This time it was one of my other close friends, Amu.

_Did Rima text u? Why is she at the med. Centre? I 'm on my way there now._

I read through it quickly and started to text back.

_We'll explain when I get there. C u then._

Ikuto and I didn't talk on the way there, both too stressed out to make small talk. When we finally arrived, we both dashed for the door. When we came to a stop at the receptionist's desk, she wouldn't let us through.

"Mashiro-san is going through an important analysis right now. We will let you know when you can see her."

I groaned in frustration. Time to go pop-star on the receptionist.

"Do you _know _who I am? I am Hoshina Utau. That is my best friend in there, and I demand that you let me and my brother through!"

She looked shell-shocked, but resolute.

"I'm sorry Hoshina-san. She is not available right now, she's being scanned. We will alert you when she's finished."

I glared and plunked myself down into one of the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, sulking like an angry child. At that moment, Amu walked in.

"Hi Utau-chan! Hello Ikuto-san!"

I rolled my eyes. Amu and Ikuto sort of had a thing for each other. It irritated me on normal days, and today I was at my breaking point.

"Amu, Ikuto doesn't care if you act all shy and sweet. Really, just give it up already."

Amu stared at me with a shocked and hurt expression. Ikuto's face stayed smooth and calm, a mask. Then he spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Amu-san. Utau is very stressed right now. Also, a medical waiting room is not a good place to flirt, in my opinion."

Amu flushed deep red and stormed to the other side of the waiting room. I had to say, it did make me feel a bit better. Movement from behind the reception counter caught my eye, and I looked over. A nurse in pale blue scrubs was making her way towards Ikuto and me. When she arrived in front of us, she smiled a bit sadly.

"Hello Hoshina-san. Could you follow me, please?"

I nodded and stood up. In my peripheral vision, I saw Ikuto and Amu do the same. The three of us followed her to a small examination room where A doctor and Rima were waiting.

"Rima!"

Me and Ikuto exclaimed at the same time. She smiled weakly at us.

The doctor looked at us with a half sympathetic, half stern expression.

"You three are close friends of Rima-san?"

I nodded, but at the same time shot a quick glance at Amu. The doctor didn't seem to notice. Rima spoke up.

"Utau, Ikuto. You came. You too, Amu."

I was sort of surprised that she mentioned that. We did everything together. We were always there for each other. Rima's eyes focused solely on me, as if I was the only one in the room.

"There's a tumor on my brain."

**Well, that's the big hit. Rima has a tumor. What will happen next?**

**Review if you want to. I'm continuing this story even if no one reads and reviews because I want to get this girl's story out there. **

**And sorry about the text abuse. This is probably the only chapter that will have texting.**

**~Rainy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, I think I'm on a roll. I got all my shopping done, wrapping gifts and I'm typing up the second and third chapters. Reviews will be answered at the bottom. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Is it really necessary to say it again? As is in the last chapters, I don't own Shugo Chara.**

**Chapter 3**

I could hear the doctor droning on and on about the type of tumor and what treatment Rima would have to go through, but I couldn't comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. How could she have a tumor? She had been just fine the day before. It didn't make any sense. Rima's voice broke through my shock.

"Utau? What are you staring at?"

I realized, too late for it to go unnoticed by the others, that I had been blankly staring at a poster for some disgusting eye disease (eesh…). Rima was just too observant of what I did, the little mind reader.

"Um… that poster?"

She rolled her eyes but laughed at my response. I smiled when she laughed. Same old Rima. I turned to the doctor, who seemed unable to shut up.

"So is she staying here? Going to a hospital? When is her treatment going to start?"

The doctor glared at me, as if I had offended him by asking questions. I met his eyes. Ikuto could sense that I was about to be rude, so he put his hand on my shoulder and whispered, "Utau. Don't pick a fight. Let him answer the questions."

I glared at him but let it go. All this time, Amu had been standing in the corner, her back to the rest of us. What was she doing? The doctor, in his low, droning voice, began to answer my questions.

"It will be decided where Mashiro-san will be treated after I discuss the situation with her parents. It is a fairly developed tumor, so she should be treated as soon as possible. The sooner we can get her treatment, the better chance of survival she has."

I saw Rima pale out of the corner of my eye. The doctor's last phrase bounced around in my head, echoing. _The better chance of survival…. _

Amu turned back to us, tears in her eyes. I was instantly suspicious, Rima and Amu didn't know each other that well. And Rima definitely knew Amu better than Amu knew her. I saw Amu quickly slip something into her pocket as she approached the bed that Rima sat on. And for a split second before Amu sat down next to her, I swear I saw a smirk flash across her face. What the hell was this girl up to?

"Oh, Rima! This is terrible! If you're gone, who's going to make us all laugh? Who will the fanboys fawn over during gym? Who'll come with me to the school dances?"

Amu was so dramatic. Okay, well I was too, but this was my best friend we were talking about. And Amu barely knew her, for crying out loud!

"What about your load of other friends, Amu? The ones you hang out with at lunch while me and Rima sit in the corner, all by ourselves? Yeah, you're such a good friend to her, aren't you?"

Amu flushed with anger; whereas Rima threw me a withering look, the kind that said 'just play along '. So I backed off. Ikuto looked at me with a confused expression on his face. "PMS?" he muttered into my ear. I gave him a dirty look and shuffled closer to Rima.

"Don't worry, Reems. This tumor will be a snap compared to the time Nagi broke his collarbone and you went crazy with worry. We can make it through this, no sweat!"

She gave me a look that told me she saw through my fake enthusiasm, but she didn't call me on it. Another nurse came in and told us that we had to leave, because her parents were coming in to talk to the doctor. We shuffled out, smiling at Rima and promising we would visit later. As soon as the door was shut behind us, I turned to Amu with a glare.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You spend three quarters of the time in the corner, not paying any attention to Rima, the doctor, or us. Then when you finally figure out that you should comfort the girl that wanted you here, you decide to jump the question 'what'll happen if you die?' on her? What are you trying to do, make her feel worse?"

Amu smirked at me. She looked so smug just standing there, in made me want to lean over and scratch her eyes out. _Bitch…_

"Well at least I didn't tell her that she'll survive. Did you even listen to the doctor at all? She has a _tumor_ on her _brain._ A rare one too. Interesting fact: 2% survival rate. How likely is it that she's going to be the one out of fifty that makes it through this? The girl's a spoiled little doll. She wouldn't be able to handle breaking a nail."

My hands instinctually curled into fists, aching to hit her. I held back, but barely. If Ikuto hadn't been there to keep me in control, she would probably be on the floor right now.

Listen up, bitch. You don't know the first thing about Rima. You say she can't handle breaking a nail? Well, she's tougher than you. Spoiled? She may be rich, but she's not spoiled. And if you knew her at all, you would know that she's a fighter. What are the odds that she's the one out of fifty? I'd bet every penny I own that she's one of that 2% that survive. And I'm not going to let a bitch like you tell her whether or not she'll live. So shut the hell up and fuck off."

Amu looked like the wanted to slap me. We were on the verge of an all-out cat fight. Suddenly, she straightened up and smirked again.

"We'll see. Oh, and see you later Iku-kun."

She laughed a totally false laugh and strutted out the door like she owned the place. Under my breath, I muttered all the colourful words that I was thinking about her. Ikuto put his arm around me and we walked to his car.

"Please tell me you're not planning on going out with that bitch after what she said in there."

He laughed. Same old Ikuto. Even when one of his best girl friends was in the hospital, he seemed unaffected. I knew he was hiding his emotions though.

"After she called you a bitch and basically said she was waiting for Rima to die? There's about a snowball's chance in hell."

Against my will, I smiled at him. I didn't want to smile, knowing Rima was in there, without the support of her friends.

"Can we come back tomorrow?"

He gave me a small, almost pitying smile. Then he smirked and said, "Tomorrow? We're coming back later tonight."

**Sorry about the really lame ending. I just didn't know how to cut it off :P Anyway, hope you guys liked it. And this chapter shows why this story is rated T. There's going to be quite a bit of bad language. Soooo… Reviews! Thank you to those who reviewed:**

**Princess Utau: Yeah, tumors can be bad. Especially on the brain. And this story does have a bit of humor in it. I hope you like this chapter Thanks for reviewing~**

**Wildappuruanimeheart101: *sigh* so many chins Appuru. And I was bored. Don't kill meh for this chappie, it's sort of a filler. Oh, and I'm very proud that I finally annoyed you enough that you made an account ;) Merry Christmas, enjoy the bracelets girl. Thanks for the review kid. Oh, and you should be scared of my PM wrath.**

**The Otaku You Fools: lol of course! Thanks~ and yeah, it was sort of a shock to me too. I'm not either girl, but I know both of them. I can retell this story in first person because 'Utau' told me the entire story from her perspective of best friend. Nagi is in the story, but there isn't very much Rimahiko romance. He was mentioned in this chappie, and he makes an appearance later. Oh, and a little side note: just to let you know, there will be traces of Ikuma in this story. But you're mostly correct, it is about Utau helping Rima. Well, I know I'm not that bad at writing, but there's a lot of room to grow for me. I know, 'Rima' is a very strong person. And in the first chapter, I did mean that she has disdain against , but it would give away a major plot point if I told you whether she is currently alive or dead. Sorry, I hope I didn't kill your dreams. And, well, when I saw that you reviewed and read it, I decided to try again. Sebastian had been spazzing at me, and he wouldn't let me update, but I finally tried again and it worked! So I have to say thanks for the encouragement! I'll try not to keep you waiting for too long Thanks for the review!**

**X.X Sakura da' Purple NekoX.X: lol well here it is! Thanks for reviewing~**

**Wow, 9 reviews already. Thanks so much guys! Review if you want to :P Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah (even though it was four days ago), Happy kwanza (sorry if I spelled that wrong) or whatever holiday you celebrate around this time. If you don't celebrate a holiday, well, have a good day ^^'''**

**~Rainy **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Sorry about not updating in a while, I had the chapter typed up for a while. I was just too busy to post it… Okay, that's a lie. I was too busy watching Death Note TT^TT I think I have a little crush on L. Sigh, too bad.**

**Also, I have a correction to make. In the previous chapter, I had said that the survival rate was 20%, one out of five would survive. I went back and talked to 'Utau' again, and I had heard her wrong. There's a 2% survival rate, rather than 20%. So she has a one in fifty chance of surviving. I've gone back and edited, but I thought I'd let you know here so that you won't get confused.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara. If I did it wouldn't be appropriate for children XD**

Ikuto and I didn't speak on the drive home. We were both too wrapped up in our thoughts to make small talk. The silence wasn't awkward, but it was still a bit tense. I assumed that he was thinking about Rima, but his expression was innocently blank, so I couldn't be sure. On the other hand, perhaps he was distracting himself from thinking about Rima. Maybe he didn't want to think about the possibility of her death. Either way, he seemed distracted and I made sure that he wasn't breaking any traffic laws. I was thinking about Amu. What had she been doing over there in the corner? What had she slipped into her pocket as she approached the bed? Why had she seemed so smug and superior? What did she have against Rima? A short time later, when we arrived at home, I didn't have any more answers then I did when we were at the office. I sighed in frustration as I climbed out of the car. I slammed the door to vent, shaking the entire body of the car.

"Watch it, this car is my baby."

I glared briefly at my older brother, before I sighed and apologized. After all, this wasn't the car's fault. I patted the hood sarcastically.

"I'm so sorry; I didn't realize how hard I had closed your door!"

He rolled his eyes, and waved away my words. We entered the house and went our separate ways through our house. Why we needed so much space, I do not know. I strolled into the kitchen and glanced at the clock. It was only 5:45, and I had nothing to do aside from homework and obsess over Amu and her bizarre actions. I sighed and pulled a granola bar out of the cupboard. After eating it in two bites, I pulled out my Math homework and began to work on the order of operations and applying it while multiplying and dividing fractions. Man, I hated math, it was a stupid thing to be doing, seeing as I still hadn't come to any conclusions about Amu.

An hour later, my stupid math homework was done, and I was free to speculate about excuses I could make if Amu was 'somehow accidentally' injured. Ah, joyful thoughts. I was halfway through what I would say if she somehow 'fell' in front of a bus when I felt my phone vibrate. I took it out of my pocket and checked the caller ID. It was Rima.

"Hey, Reems."

"This is Rima's mother. Hi, Utau."

I facepalmed at my error. Why does this stuff happen at the most inappropriate times?

"Oh, hello Mashiro-san. How is Rima?"

"She's been transferred to Seiyo Hospital. Visiting hours end at 10, if you want to go see her before that."

Ikuto came downstairs and mouthed 'who's on the phone?'

'Mashiro-san,' I mouthed back.

He nodded and opened the fridge. I rolled my eyes at his turned back.

"Thank you, Mashiro-san. Ikuto and I will go visit her soon."

"Goodbye, Utau-chan." Rima's mother hung up before I could reply.

I joined my brother at the fridge and grabbed some leftovers from the previous night. Sticking them in the microwave, I checked the time as the food heated up. It was already 7:00, and I wanted to see Rima tonight.

After wolfing down the leftovers (with the help of Ikuto, of course) I told him what Mashiro-san had told me, and we drove to the hospital. It was around 7:30 when we got there, and the guest waiting room was almost empty. We approached a grouchy-looking woman in her late 30's behind the desk. She glared up at us from behind her glasses, her blue eyes icy.

"May I help you?"

I stiffened at her bored and annoyed tone. Man, rude receptionists bothered me.

"Yes, we're here to see Mashiro Rima-san."

She lazily flipped through her room list and ran her stubby finger down the page.

"Room 348, and visiting hours end at 10."

"Thank you very much," Ikuto said.

He grabbed my hand and together we walked to the elevator. I checked my watch hastily as he pushed the button for the third floor. It was 7:40, which meant that we had just over two hours with Rima. Hopefully, she would be alone (meaning: Hopefully, Amu wouldn't be there).

That hope dissolved as we entered room 348 and saw Amu sitting in the corner, watching some stupid soap opera on the television. Rima looked up as we walked in, and her face broke into a small smile. She waved and smiled. I waved back, and Ikuto said, "yo."

Rima and I rolled our eyes together at his 'cool' demeanor, and Amu stood up with a fake, bitchy smile plastered on her face.

"Well, now that Utau and Iku-kun are here to keep you company, I think I'll go visit the powder room."

I grinned an equally false smile as she exited the room, before relaxing my facial muscles and pulling another chair up next to Rima's bed.

"Hey, Reems. How's it going?"

"Not too bad. They're starting chemo as soon as my parents give the okay, which will probably be tomorrow."

I stared at her. She seemed different somehow, more aloof, as if this wasn't really happening. I knew though, when she actually looked straight at me, that it was just a brave act.

"Rima, stop. You don't have to pretend around me. What's really going on?"

She drew a deep breath and let it out shakily. She was very obviously terrified, and there was another emotion in her eyes.

"I'm scared, Utau. What if this thing beats me? What if I-"

I cut her off before she could finish.

"No, don't say that! You're going to make it through, you can do this."

"That's not what Amu seems to think. She acts like… well, like she's sort of waiting for something to go wrong."

I sucked in a breath quickly. So Rima _had_ noticed, and I wasn't just going crazy thinking that Amu was out to get my best friend.

"Well, it doesn't matter what Amu thinks. Speaking of the devil, she's been gone a long time. I'm going to go see where she disappeared off to. Ikuto, keep Rima company."

Both Rima and Ikuto nodded as I stood up. I waited until Ikuto took my seat before leaving the room. I followed the signs that led to the bathroom. Amu wasn't in any of the stalls or by the sinks.

_Well, maybe she got lost. You know that she's not the brightest._ I nodded to the voice in my head and wandered aimlessly down the hallways, searching for her bright hair. I rounded a sharp corner and found her leaning against the wall on my right-hand side. She had something in her hand, which she quickly stuck in her pocket.

"Oh, Utau-chan! I wasn't aware that I had been gone so long that you came to look for me! I'll just be getting back then."

She breezed past where I stood frozen, the cogs turning in my head. This time, I had seen what she had hastily pushed into her pocket as soon as I looked at her. It was her cell phone.

**So, I apologize for the very late update, I feel pretty guilty. So without further ado, review responses!**

**Ensign Meyumi**

**Yes, that's true. Of course, it's not Hanukkah now, because I take so long to update. And you're right, I went back and double checked. Thank you for bringing up the fact, I appreciate it very much. I'm sorry about your aunt.**

**Yes, I find Amuto is overused, so I cast them the parts that would keep them apart.** **It is quite AU, I find that Canon is harder for me to write.**

**Thank you for reviewing~**

**The Otaku You Fools**

**Checheche of course you are! Sorry for updating so late. Now we're even. I've also been working on crap. Makes sense. Yeah, I decided to portray the bitch as Amu because she fits the part the best. And I'm not just saying that because I hate Amu (though I do really hate her) but because the way they act in certain situations is the same. She even dyed her hair pink, so I thought it would work out really well. And I feel like if Rima and Amu weren't going to be best friends they were going to be bitter enemies. Well, 'Amu' and 'Ikuto' sorta had a thing for each other, but not anymore. And there will be touching moments, so prepare yourself. O.O uh… that's strange… well, I keep thinking I see a bird fly part the window, but I only notice cuz I'm watching my cat playing out on the deck. Well, the wait is over. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Wildappuruanimeheart101**

**-.-'' Thanks for that. Really. MWAHAHA CHINS! *threatening voice* do you have something you aren't telling me Wild? And seriously, me reading your stories is revenge. So don't get mad at me for that.**

**Hehehe drama is my forte, remember. There is much more to come. **

**No, I'm talking about Amu's annoyingness in the anime. And seriously, she's like, cheating on her 'boyfriends' the whole freaking anime! Also, they're in fifth/sixth grade and telling each other that they love each other? Seriously, they're too young to know that.**

**I'm fine with your freaking 'creepy clown', because I am quite creepy, aren't I? But DO. NOT. CALL. ME. THAT. NAME. I am serious.**

**Thanks for reviewing… I think…**

**Dymiely444**

**Thank you, and here it is!**

**Thanks so much everyone for reviewing! I really appreciate it. So, this is the end. See you next chappie!**

**~Rai**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello world! I'm not dead! I always feel really guilty when I don't update… I have no idea how long it's been since I posted chapter 4. And I've had this chapter half typed up for days :S. So I'm updating now!**

**I don't own Shugo Chara. This is the last time I'm saying it, because I'm pretty sure no one actually thinks that I own a manga/anime series. **

I don't know how long I stood in the corridor, with my body frozen and my mind racing. It could've been minutes, or hours, or days. However long, Ikuto found me eventually. I heard his footsteps, the distinct rhythm with which he walks. I was facing away from him, which was a good thing, because if he had seen my face, he probably would have sent the nurses after me to find out what was wrong.

"Utau? What are you doing out here? Amu came to the room half an hour ago."

So it hadn't been as long as I'd thought. Still, I had to take a minute to compose myself before I could answer.

"Ikuto… If I asked you to do something illegal, would you do it?"

I turned around to face him. Hopefully, my expression was blank enough that he couldn't see what I was thinking or feeling. He looked startled, and maybe even a bit nervous.

"W-why would you ask something like that?"

I stared at him. This was the first time I'd ever seen him uncomfortable, he was always so _cool._ But I guess Rima's situation had shaken him, like me.

"I need to get Amu's phone. I need it soon. But the only way I could get it… Would be to steal it."

Now he looked even more startled. I needed an answer. Sure, I could get it, but it would be easier for Ikuto to get it, since she's basically all over him every time they see each other. Ikuto scratched the back of his head awkwardly. I felt sort of bad for putting him in this situation, but I _needed _that phone. If Amu was doing what I thought she was doing, then shit was going to go down. And I had my best friend to protect.

"Why do you need her phone? You have your own, with a much better plan, I'm sure."

"I think I know what Amu's been doing, and I need proof. I can't tell you why yet, because I'm not sure if it's true. But I need to know, and if you get caught, I'll take all responsibility."

He looked at me as if I was crazy. Well, if I was going to get my brother to steal for me, then I probably was crazy. But sibling love won, I guess, because he shook his head.

"You're crazy. But I care about you, and Rima, so I'll do the best I can."

I smiled at him and hugged him.

"Thank you! I'll tell you what's going on once I know whether or not I'm right. You're the best!"

He groaned and rolled his eyes in a what-have-I-gotten-myself-into sort of way. I grabbed his hand and we navigated our way back to the room.

When we finally arrived, there were not two people, but three. There was Amu, looking quite sulky back in her chair in the corner. There was Rima, grinning and nodding from the bed. And standing next to her was Nagihiko, her crush of about two years. Not that she would ever admit it to anyone but me. I smiled and waved when they looked up. Then I heard a strange huff from beside me. I looked up to see Ikuto's face set. He looked grim and angry.

"Ikuto? What's wrong?"

He just shook his head at me and stepped further into the room. I followed, confused. Rima looked at me and waved. Both Ikuto and I sat down (Ikuto on a chair, myself on Rima's bed) and joined in a conversation about whether or not clowns with pounds of makeup plastered on their faces were scary. Then, after about 5 minutes, Ikuto stood up and stretched. Hey looked at Amu and winked. I nearly gagged.

"Hey, Amu. Would you come with me for a few minutes? I want to talk to you about something important."

Amu batted her eyelashes, and the urge to hurl got stronger. They left together, Amu wiggling her butt as much as humanly possible on her way out. I shook my head and turned back to Rima and Nagihiko. With Amu gone, they both looked happier. Nagihiko turned to me and smiled.

"It's been a while, Utau. How are you?"

I rolled my eyes and smiled back. We'd never really become friends until Rima started hanging out with him. Then, we were pretty close. He was a bit too _perfect,_ though. Seriously, he was good at everything. Even applying makeup (Rima and I knew from experience). He was a pretty good friend though.

"As good as I can be in the current circumstances. How about you?"

"I'm fine. Just, you know, hanging out."

His words were nonchalant, but I could see worry in his eyes. He was scared for the same reason that I was. We made more small talk until Nagihiko said he had to go. Rima and I waved goodbye to him as he opened the door. We turned back to each other and we were just about to start talking again, when we heard Nagihiko say, "whoa."

I told Rima to hang on, and went to go see what was happening. Nagihiko was frozen, standing just outside the doorway. He was staring at the two figures standing near the corner of the hallway. There, Ikuto and Amu were passionately making out. Amu had her small fingers in Ikuto's hair, and Ikuto had his hands stuck in Amu's back pockets. I actually gagged, and had to take a few seconds to compose myself.

"Hey. Guys. Calm down, this is a hospital. At least take it outside, you're making people's sickness' worse."

They broke apart when they heard me yelling at them. Ikuto took his hands off of Amu's butt (eesh) and stepped back.

"Sorry. Anyway, Utau, we should probably get going. Let's say goodbye to Rima and then we can go."

I nodded curtly at my older brother. He had lost my respect almost completely. Amu turned and walked towards the elevator; Nagihiko following looking shell-shocked. Ikuto and I walked back into the room. Rima looked at us curiously.

"What's going on? I heard Utau yelling about taking something outside. Were you guys fighting?"

"Not quite. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Visiting hours are almost over, we better go before some pissed-off nurses come and kick us out."

She nodded and grinned. I hugged her carefully, and was absolutely shocked when Ikuto leaned in and kissed her cheek gently. Rima flushed a dull red, and Ikuto looked sort of nervous. I was even more pissed off at him. I grabbed his arm and almost literally dragged him out of the room. When we were out and a safe distance away from the room, I shoved him against the wall and held him there.

"What the hell Ikuto? You make out with _Amu, _of all people, then you go and kiss Rima! What is _wrong _with you?"

He looked confused and a little bit frightened. Well, I can be scary when I'm mad.

"I was doing what you told me to do."

Now _I _was the one who was confused. He saw my expression and pulled a bright pink phone out of his pocket.

"Does _this _explain anything?"

I stared out it, and replayed the scene I had witnessed in my head. They had been making out… what was I missing? Then I remembered: Ikuto's hands had been in Amu's back pockets… He had taken her phone while she was… er… otherwise absorbed. I looked back at him, surprised and impressed. He had gained my respect again. I left him go and he rubbed his arms where I had gripped them. Then he sighed dramatically and looked forlorn.

"I had to sacrifice my lips' virginity to get it, but here it is."

I rolled my eyes at his dramatic act.

"Sure. Like you haven't ever kissed anyone before."

He looked at me with serious eyes.

"I was being serious. That was my first out of family kiss."

I frantically searched my mind. That couldn't have been his first kiss. But looking back, I couldn't find any images of him kissing anyone. I sort of felt guilty for making him lose his 'lips' virginity', as he called it, but then he had kissed Rima afterward. I was quite confused, but I let it go for the time being. We left the building and climbed in Ikuto's car. We were silent on the ride home. As loud as I am, I'm comfortable with silence. When we arrived at the house, Ikuto gave me the phone and went into the kitchen. I went up to my room and plopped down on my bed. As much as I just wanted to go to bed, I had to look at the phone first. I flipped it open and found her inbox.

Holding my breath, I opened the inbox.

**Ooh, cliffie! Okay, well, it's a really fail cliffie, but I tried. So, before I can embarrass myself more, to the review responses!**

**Dymiely444**

Thank you! I'm so glad that you like it!

Thank you for reviewing~

**Mysterious Angel Girl**

I'm glad that you like the way I do first person It's a real confidence boost, so thank you.

HIGH FIVE! I'm not a fan of her either, as you might have already heard or inferred xD

I'll do my best ;)

Thanks for the review!

**Oh, and I have to apologize for the Amuto. It's only in this chapter, I promise. Plus it wasn't actually real Amuto, just them kissing so that Ikuto could get her phone. I still had a hard time writing it, though. Anyway, I'm sure you guys are bored with my chatter, so I'm out. Peace children!**

**~Rai**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, everyone! I'm not dead! Though, you wouldn't know that from my lack of updates TT^TT sorry. But now that I'm on break, I have the time to write! Just a warning- updates are going to be slow for the next while, I'm working currently on a story that's not for . So, with that said, on to the chapter!**

I clicked the small button to take me to her inbox. Almost immediately, a record of her conversations popped up. Recently, Amu had been texting… Saaya and Kirishima? She had never seemed too close with either, and the conversations appeared to be long. Suspicious, I brought up Amu and Saaya's conversation. My eyes widened as I scrolled through the messages they had been sending each other.

_I never liked her. Little attention seeking whore._

_I hope she doesn't make it._

_And pulling Nagihiko around on her leash, the little slut._

_I'm going to be there when she dies, and I'm going to laugh in her face._

I exited the text history numbly. What the hell was wrong with these people? What had Rima ever done to them? Though I really didn't want to know, I checked out Kirishima's conversation with Amu. It said basically the same thing that Amu and Saaya's conversation did. I didn't get their problem with Rima. Sure, she could be bossy, annoying, and sometimes a bit bitchy; who isn't at some point in their lifetime? I'd never expected everyone to like her, but this was out of hand. I needed to do something about them, and fast. They could end up hurting her, and in her condition, that could be dangerous.

Suddenly, Amu's phone vibrated in my hands. I looked down to see a new text from Saaya. Swallowing my disgust, I replied with a cheery, Amu-like message. I just needed to keep her from knowing that I wasn't Amu. We kept texting for about half an hour, before she brought up Rima. I was tempted to tell her to shut up, but that would have given away the fact that I wasn't Amu. So, with guilt rising in my chest, I insulted my best friend. After sending a few texts insulting Rima, I texted Saaya and told her I was busy. Without waiting for a reply, I threw Amu's phone as hard as I could against my bedroom wall. Tugging on my long hair, I growled at the ceiling in frustration. I needed to stop people from acting like this, but I was going to need as much help as possible. I needed to get to people before Amu did. I pulled my own phone and scrolled through my contacts. Who could I trust to be on my side? Out of the 50 people I had on my contacts list, only one could be trusted to go up against Amu and her group. I opened the contact and pressed the 'call' button. Biting my lip, I prayed silently as it rang. After three rings, he finally picked up.

"Hello?"

Mentally thanking and deity that could be listening, I replied.

"Kukai, it's Utau."

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"I need you to get in contact with some people. Do you have the phone numbers for Nagi, Nade, Yaya, and Kairi? I really need to talk to them."

I could imagine the look of confusion on his face, matching his tone.

"I have Yaya and Nagihiko's numbers, and they'll be able to reach Nadeshiko and Kairi. What's this about, Utau?"

I was hesitant to explain everything over the phone, so I told him I would explain in class tomorrow. I only needed the other's numbers because they were in a different school. He gave me their numbers and we hung up. A couple seconds later, I heard a knock on my door and saw one of Ikuto's bright blue eyes peek in. I nodded to him and he sauntered in.

"Find anything interesting on that phone?"

Rather than explaining, I picked it up and tossed it to him, so that he could take a look himself. After a couple minutes, he muttered, "holy shit."

"We need to do something about this, Ikuto. We need to tell people what's going on so that we can get Amu and the others from spreading stuff like this around."

"Who can we tell?"

I held up the pitifully small list of numbers I had collected. Kukai, Nagihiko and Yaya. He looked a bit skeptical.

"There's only three people there. We're going to need more than that if we're going to teach Amu."

"True, but the three of them have positions of influence in the school. Nagihiko and Kukai are captains of the school's sports teams, and Yaya's on the student council. We just need to get around the truth, before Amu can spread her rumors."

Ikuto nodded thoughtfully. I could see the anger boiling just beneath the surface, but he wasn't going to express it. He seemed very determined to stop Amu, just as determined as I was.

"I can talk to some of the people that I know that have younger siblings in your school. They'll pass the message along."

I felt a strong rush of gratitude toward my older brother. With his help, we could stop Amu. All we had to do was spread the word, overpower her.

"Thanks, Ikuto. Now, I have some phone calls to make."

Taking a deep breath, I typed the first digits into my phone.

**That was sort of a lame end to the chapter, but whatever. It was a bit boring and short, but it's important. The next chapter will be more exciting, hopefully.**

**I've been told that you're not supposed to respond to signed reviews in A/Ns, so I'll be sending PMs. Thank you to **_**The Otaku You Fools, PokemonJoe1, Starry-Eyed Starfish, **_**and **_**Heart-Shaped Quill**_** for reviewing. Reviews are always appreciated, thanks!**

**~Rainy **


	7. Chapter 7

**Back again! Sorry it's been taking me so long to update, I've been busy with schoolwork and crap like that… Lame excuse, I know, and I'm sure you guys don't want to hear it. So, on to the chapter!**

Never had I felt so alone at school before. Though there were lots of people I knew, everyone felt like a stranger. I felt oddly scared, as if they could hurt me. I'd never before realized the effect Rima had had on me. And now that she was gone, I felt empty and alone. I walked numbly down the familiar halls that seemed foreign, the hordes of chattering teens around me blurring together into a colourful mess. When I finally stumbled into my first period classroom and fell into my seat, I was already wishing the day was over. Ignoring the teacher, I put my head on my desk and prayed that the time would pass quickly. I needed to talk to Kukai, soon. The next thing I knew, I was the only one in the room, save for the teacher. He looked over at me disapprovingly. I bowed hastily and ran out, blushing faintly. Shit, I was late to my next class, the only class that I shared with Kukai. Not paying attention to where I was going, I hit something and almost fell.

"Oh, sorry. I wasn't looking- oh, hello, Amu."

The pink-haired girl glared up at me from her position on the floor. I felt a momentary flash of joy that I had knocked her over, but it faded when she stood up and bared her teeth at me.

"Where's my phone?"

I almost tensed up, but my acting skills kicked in instantly. If I hadn't had as much practice acting as I had, I probably would've been caught. Carefully keeping my eyes and hands from straying to my bag, where her phone was, I replied with a blank, innocent expression.

"How the hell should I know what you did with your phone? You're responsible for it, not me."

Her guarded expression fell for a moment, showing confusion. She covered it up again, digging in her own bag. She pulled out another phone triumphantly, a victorious smirk on her face.

"I think you have it. It's on vibrate, so if I text it with Saaya's phone, it'll give away the fact that you stole my phone."

_Oh shit, _I thought, _I'm screwed. She's going to see it vibrating in my bag. I have to get out of the situation…_

She began typing something on the phone. Beads of sweat erupted from my hairline. I scoffed and pretended to not care. My heart pounded hard in my chest. She finished typing, I was going to be caught-

"Oh, there you are, Utau! I was wondering where you were, since you weren't in class."

Both Amu's and my eyes snapped to the speaker, and I almost exhaled in relief. There, at the end of the hallway, stood Kukai. He waved cheerfully, his eyes flickering between the two of us.

"Oh, right. Class. I just got a bit caught up in my conversation with Amu. See you around, Hinamori."

I turned my back on her, walking towards Kukai. When I arrived, he grabbed my elbow and pulled me down another hallway.

"What's going on? You're never late to class. I told the teacher I was going to the bathroom. What did Hinamori say?"

I explained what had passed between the two of us as quickly as I could, not leaving anything out. He looked angry and confused.

"Why would you have her phone?"

"I do have her phone. Ikuto took it so that I could check her texts."

His eyes widened, even more confused. His grip on my arm tightened causing me to flinch slightly.

"You _stole her phone?_ Why, Utau? What the hell is going on with you two? And _where is Rima?_"

I gulped, knowing that he would notice eventually. In school, we were practically attached at the hip. It was unusual to see us apart. We'd even been called twins before, because of our closeness.

"We should probably be getting back to class. The teacher will think something's wrong with you for being in the bathroom for so long."

Kukai shook his head fiercely, looking beyond pissed. I felt bad about stalling, but something was telling me not to tell him right now. I didn't know what the feeling was, but I trusted my instincts.

"Why won't you tell me now?"

"I feel like something's not right. Almost as if we're being watched."

He glanced around quickly, looking for anyone. The corridor was empty, but I still felt slightly unsafe. He sighed in frustration and released my arm.

"Fine. Let's get to class."

I followed him a bit shamefully. I felt bad about not explaining the situation, but something really felt off. As we passed an empty hall, I thought I caught a glimpse of pink hair ducking behind something, but when I blinked it was gone. When we finally arrived at the class, we took our seats, avoiding the glare of the teacher. I pretended to pay attention as I doodled aimlessly in my notebook. Suddenly, a whisper from the back of the room caught my attention.

"… Heard that she's in the hospital, with AIDS."

I strained to hear more of the conversation.

"Yeah, I noticed that she wasn't with that blonde today. Amu told me that she saw them in the hospital yesterday."

My blood boiled. Suddenly, something landed on my desk, breaking my concentration. I stared at the wad of paper that had landed in front of me. I flattened it out, indentifying the messy handwriting. It belonged to Kukai.

_**Are they talking about Rima?**_

I quickly scribbled a reply and tossed it back to him.

_**Yes, but that's not the truth. I'll explain at lunch, I swear.**_

He nodded and went back to gazing longingly out the window at the soccer field. I tried to focus back on the conversation the two girls in the back had started, but I couldn't make out what they were saying anymore. Finally, the class ended. Kukai waited for me, helping me pack up the books I had been pretending to look at. I gave him a grateful look. The day had been absolutely terrible so far, but with Kukai by my side, it was looking better. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as I'd thought it would be…

**I really suck at ending the chapters, don't I? I find it quite awkward. Sorry. Anyway, I think this chapter was longer… Maybe? Whatever.**

**Thank you to **_**Starry-eyed Starfish, Kutau forever, **_**and **_**Heart-Shaped Quill **_**for the reviews. See you next chapter!**

**~Rainy**


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